1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to simulated modeling and more particularly to a method and system of providing resource-limited customers with additional simulation capacity and protecting host system's core logic and other intellectual property rights.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, when a customer contracts with a supplier to manufacture application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), the supplier will provide the customer with a software modeling program. Typically, customers utilize many off-the-shelf integrated circuit devices manufactured by the supplier when designing their ASIC device. The principal logic design created by the customer relates to the arrangement and connection of the basic “core” integrated circuit devices manufactured by the supplier.
The software modeling program given to the customer will allow the customer to design the various arrangements, logical connections and other circuit features that are unique to the customer's needs. The software modeling program then provides the customer with a simulated output, given various inputs and initial logic states.
However, the foregoing situation presents the customer and the supplier with problems. For example, customer companies with limited computing resources often find themselves at a competitive disadvantage when attempting to simulate large models because they cannot afford the more sophisticated computers required to simulate such large models. Additionally, ASIC manufactures have concerns that the customer may be able to break through the encryption of the software modeling program to discover (and possibly reverse engineer) the logic of the core elements (e.g. the “core logic”) used in the design of the ASIC product being designed by the customer. Further, the manufacturer sometimes provides the modeling software at no charge to the customer with the agreement that the customer will have the manufacturer produce the circuits designed using the software program.